I'm comparing security and privacy oriented distros and could use some suggestions
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I'm comparing security and privacy oriented distros and could use some suggestions
Hello,
I'm currently thinking of installing Tails and BackBox linux in addition to my TriSquel linux install in a "triple boot" or "quadruple boot" fashion on my hard drive. If I do this, what would Tails (which supposedly forces everything go through the 'Tor network' (by default I'm assuming)) and BackBox (which offers security assessment and penetration testing) offer me that TriSquel doesn't?
I think TriSquel offers the ability to connect through the 'Tor network' though I just installed TriSquel and haven't tried it yet so I don't know if it is true or not.
So it may be all I really need is just BackBox for security assessment purposes.
On Wikipedia; BackBox says it's licensed as: "Free software licenses
(mainly GPL)". And Wikipedia also says that Tails is licensed as: "License GPLv3+". So I'm assuming that both of these distros have proprietary software elements installed with them since neither distro is listed on the GNU.org website as being endorsed by them.
Previously, I was also considering Kali linux but it said one of its focus's was "digital forensics" and that sounds like trying to solve a mystery after the crime (which I don't really forsee myself needing). Also, on Wikipedia its license is listed as: "various", which sounds kind of suspect to me in the first place. This made me lean towards BackBox for my security assessment distro of choice.
I also have an eye on the new "GNU GuixSD" as a possible addition to my multiple boot laptop, but it's still in Alpha development state right now, so it's not quite ready yet and I'm not entirely sure what it will do that TriSquel doesn't do (both distro's are endorsed by the GNU project which is sponsored by the Free Software Foundation which appeals to me).
Thank you for any help
Free to try but more security tools can mean more security risks like in the case of pen-testing distros (example Kali.)
A more secure Linux can be any distro (heck even winblows) but that's more up to the user and "their" software mantenerse plus updates, level of paranoia &c... I haven't used BlackBox for sometime now. Are you OK at a command prompt and Googling? Tails and Blag are cool too however I tend to stick with a minimalistic base like a netinst, Arch or Slackware (just more examples, ) then build up my bloatware from there.
Best wishes and have fun!
Last edited by jamison20000e; 06-20-2015 at 02:52 AM.
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Tails is meant to be run from a pendrive, that being one of its security measures.
Most Linux distros will have security software in its repos, you just need to decide what you want & install it.
The less software in a distro, the more secure it is, as there are less opportunities to compromise a system, having said that, crackers mostly have to gain root to do damage. So don't get paranoid about it.
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To add to the above -- don't bother with TOR unless you are a freedom fighter under an oppressive government. If you're in most "Western" countries then law enforcement will conclude that you are a terrorist and/or a paedophile if you use TOR so you have to be very, very, careful what you do and even deleting your internet history can be a criminal offence.
If you don't want to be tracked then use browser settings and the like to disallow or remove cookies and scripts and pay more attention to that kind of thing. If you want to be safer backing then, perhaps, use a live distribution just for that banking transaction and nothing else.
"secure distributions" are all well and good but they make you a suspected criminal in most countries and, as the post above points out, don't offer much help if you use the internet "normally" anyhow.
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) but that's more up to the user and "their" software mantenerse plus updates, level of paranoia &c... I haven't used BlackBox for sometime now. Are you OK at a command prompt and Googling? Tails and Blag are cool too however I tend to stick with a minimalistic base like a netinst, Arch or Slackware (just more examples, 
) then build up my bloatware from there. 
